Love Ended First

So this was his "business trip."

I let out a hollow laugh. At least I had not said anything about the apartment yet. If I had, I truly would have had nothing left.

I got out of the cab and headed upstairs, pulling out my key to unlock the door. But no matter how much I turned it, the lock would not budge. Then the key snapped in half.

I stared at the broken piece jammed inside the lock and called a locksmith.

Once the locksmith got the door open, he glanced past me into the apartment. His brow furrowed. He gave me a long look, clearly wanting to say something but holding back.

Then he frowned and asked, "You sure this place is yours?"

I nodded.

He shook his head. "You young people really ought to keep up with the cleaning."

He gave me one last pointed look and left. I had no idea what he meant until I stepped inside.

The apartment was buried in garbage. Clothes were thrown across every surface. The custom dining table I had painstakingly picked out was covered in leftover takeout containers.

When I got closer, I could see mold growing inside them. Flies circled overhead, and the stench hit me so hard it felt like it was bouncing off the inside of my skull.

On the wall hung a large, prominently displayed couple's portrait. Kyle and Anya smiled back at me from the frame.

I clenched my fists and reached for my phone to call Kyle, but he called me first.

"Sally, did you go to the apartment?"

I bit back my anger. "Yes."

Kyle paused for a beat, then continued in that careless tone of his.

"Well, since you already know, I might as well just tell you. I lent the apartment to Anya a while back. You know how it is. She just got back to the country, she doesn't know anyone, and she needed a place to stay.

"The place was sitting empty anyway, so might as well let Anya move in and put some life into it. It makes it easier for us when we eventually move in too.

"Oh, and since you're already there, could you tidy up a bit for her? She's still young and a kid at heart. Don't hold it against her if the place is a little messy."

I glanced at the disaster zone of a floor, then up at the wall where a piece of hand-embroidered silk art had been slashed to ribbons. I said nothing.

My mother had made that piece. She had stayed up night after night for an entire year to finish it. And Anya had destroyed it like it was nothing.

I gritted my teeth. "You gave her the apartment without even asking me?"

Kyle sounded caught off guard for a second, then fired back.

"What are you throwing a fit about now?

"It's just an apartment. I only let her stay there because it's close to the office. It makes her commute easier so she can focus on contributing to the company.

"She's my junior from school. Letting her crash at the apartment for a while isn't going to kill anyone. Is this really worth getting this worked up over?

"And if you hadn't been so stubborn about refusing to let me bring Anya home with us in the first place, I never would've had to come up with this arrangement!"

My clenched fists trembled.

Kyle had once suggested bringing Anya to live with us in our house. I had put my foot down.

We had a massive fight over it, and Kyle left with Anya in tow.

I assumed he would rent her a place or put her up in a hotel. It never crossed my mind that he would hand her the apartment I had prepared for our wedding.

My parents had helped pay for that apartment. Half of the money had come from their retirement savings. And Kyle had just given it away like it meant nothing. He even let Anya change the locks.

How thoughtful of him.

When I did not respond, his voice dropped lower.

"Are you done? Look, everything I do is for our future. Anya's got an overseas education. Talent like that doesn't come around every day. If she stays with the company, our prospects are only going to get brighter."